


They Were Happy

by RobinPlaysTrumpet15



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Anxiety, Depression, Gen, Mental Health Issues, Triggers, dreams suck, people need to pay more attention to Tim's problems and help him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-01
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-05 16:21:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6712330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobinPlaysTrumpet15/pseuds/RobinPlaysTrumpet15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tim and Jason get sucked into an alternate dimension where Jason never died and Tim never became Robin. It's a bit too much for Tim to handle, and Jason is there to let Tim lean on him for support.</p>
            </blockquote>





	They Were Happy

**Author's Note:**

> Based off a post I saw on Tumblr a while ago.
> 
> As usual, please let me know of any grammar mistakes you find. This has not been proof read.

“So...you two are from a parallel universe?” The other Jason asked. Skepticism was clear in his expression, laced through his tone and body language.

Jason looked himself in the eye. There was something off about this Jason, but he couldn’t quite figure out what. This other Jason didn’t have a fringe of white in his hair. His stance wasn’t threatening or poised for attack. The man didn’t even seem to give off the same “bad boy” vibe that Jason did.

“Yeah, I guess.”

At that, the other Dick perked up from behind his younger brother. He smiled a truly Dick smile and moved closer to Jason and Tim.

“That’s awesome. So you’re the other Jason. Wow!” Dick seemed to be absolutely fascinated by the two visitors from another world.

“But, who are you?” The other Damian was now leaning into Tim’s space, studying the blue of his eyes, the gentle curve of his eyebrows and lips. There was a surprising lack of animosity being shown towards Tim from this Damian.

“I’m Tim.” Honestly, Tim had expected some reaction that like what Dick had given Jason, but...none.

“Who’s Tim?” Dick asked. His look screamed confusion, his arms hanging limply at his sides.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jason saw Tim pale considerably.

“Tim? Timothy Drake? You know, became Robin after Jason?” Tim said, motioning towards the man next to him.

“You guys got another Robin? That’s so cool!” Dick exclaimed, a strange smile on his face. Even for Dick, Tim was finding the smiles a little weird. And maybe a little forced.

“Wait...so, I never became Robin in this timeline?” Tim’s voice was low, his shoulders curling forward a little. The other Robins shook their heads, Jason and Damian sporting similarly confused looks. “Then what happened to me?”

Bruce chose that moment to enter, joining his sons from the elevator. “Timothy Drake died years ago. The boy committed suicide and no one was ever able to figure out why.” This other Bruce looked down on Tim softly, a strange grimace tugging his lips down in a frown. “Looking back at his medical records, however, showed that he suffered from severe depression that no one ever diagnosed or treated.”  
“But, there had to be another Robin after I died, though, right?” Jason nearly demanded. He could see Tim in his peripheral, and the young man was white as a sheet.

“You died?! Then how are you here?” The other Jason exclaimed.

“The Joker beam me nearly to death and left me to die in an explosion. Talia took my body from my grave and threw me in the Lazarus Pit to save me.” Jason explained. His look was very deadpan, blunt. After all the time that had passed, he was able to lie to himself, tell himself that it didn’t hurt to talk about what happened.

“My mother did what?!” The other Damian’s arms fell from where they had been crossed in front of his chest.

“Nevermind that, kid. Are you telling me that didn’t happen here?”

“I mean, I suppose it’s possible that it almost happened...The Joker did beat me once with a crowbar, but the wiring for the bombs was faulty so they didn’t go off.” Jason looked at himself like he didn’t know this person. Mostly because, he didn’t. This Jason was not who he would have been, had everything gone to plan. And that’s what Jason found wrong about him. He was never bitter. He was never mad. He was happy.

“Damian was our next Robin after Jason. When he came along, Jason had just started to talk about hanging up the cape.” Dick said, smiling softly at the other man.

“I’m a social worker now. Someone’s gotta help those kids out there on the street.” The other Jason was smiling.

“Do you need to sit down? You look like you’re going to pass out, kid.” Dick offered, studying Tim.

Jason looked over at him. He was paler than he had been before, his eyes were rimmed in eyes, watering as they stared down at his shoes. Tremors wracked his body, making his hands quiver where they hung at his sides.

“Is there somewhere he can lie down? I think we need a few minutes.” Jason said, draping his arm across Tim’s shoulders.

“Oh, yeah, of course. Come on.” Dick offered. He led Tim and Jason away from the others, off towards the elevator up to the manor.

The other Dick left them in one of the sitting rooms. The walls were lined in bookshelves, big, bay windows looking out over the grassy grounds of the manor. A plush couch sat in the middle of the room with a small coffee table set up in front of it.

Jason pulled Tim over to the couch, sitting him down and kneeling in front of him on the floor. Tim’s eyes remained locked on the toe of his shoe, refusing to look up at Jason.

“Hey, Tim.” Jason whispered. The man didn’t even acknowledge that Jason had said anything.

“Talk to me, Tim.”

“Why? So you can mock me about how useless your replacement is? So you can remind me that I’m not good enough to handle the Robin’s mantle?” Tim’s voice was bitter, his tone biting. Those blue eyes shifted up stare into Jason’s. Despite his words, Tim’s eyes held nothing was a body crushing sadness, a soul wrenching emptiness.

“Tim, what is it? Is it the fact that you were never Robin? Or that the other Tim killed himself because he wasn’t as strong as you are?”

“No!”

“Then what?”

“It could have been me! It almost was! I was so, so close to doing exactly what the other me did, it scares me! But that’s not even it! I live with that every day of my life! That is not what’s wrong!” Tim all but yelled at Jason. The man was sure that, should anyone be listening in, it wouldn’t be hard for them.

“Then what is it?”

“They’re happy! Did you see how happy they all were! Dick was smiling more than our Dick smiles, which is actually saying something. You didn’t hold an absolute hatred in you! Bruce wasn’t all dark and unhappy. And his stood next to you! He touched you, he smiled at you, and you didn’t push him off! Even Damian didn’t seem nearly as Damian-like!” Tim yelled. Tears flowed down his cheeks, rolling over his jaw and dripping from his chin. Tim reached up, threaded his fingers through his hair and tugged as hard as he could.

“How am I supposed to believe that I don’t have a part in that?! You never died and I never forced Bruce to take me on as Robin and they’re all happy!”

Jason was stunned. Or, startled would probably be a better word for it. He and the rest of the family knew that, sure, Tim suffered with depression and anxiety. And sure, Tim definitely had lapses with them from time to time where he questions himself, requires that someone step in and save him from himself. But, this was far beyond that. Jason was realizing that he and the rest of the family had made a major miscalculation about Tim’s mental health.

Jason leaned closer into Tim, wrapping his arms around Tim’s back and pulling the younger man into his chest.

“It’s not you, babybird. I promise it’s not you.” Jason mumbled into Tim’s hair.

“They’re happy, Jason...They’re happy…” Tim sobbed, his throat going raw and hoarse.

*^*^*

“Tim, wake up!”

Tim’s eyes snapped open. He was lying on the same couch from his dream. And there was Jason, leaning over him, concern playing over his features, swirling in his gray eyes. Tim’s face was wet and his throat and scalp hurt.

“Babybird, that must have been some nightmare you were having…”Jason whispered, his hand stroking back some of Tim’s sweaty bangs.

Before Tim could stop himself, he was surging upwards, locking his arms around Jason and holding on tightly. He buried his face in Jason’s chest. The man smelled like smoke and soap and some underlying scent that was just purely Jason.

The man hesitated before situating himself and Tim on the couch, the younger man safely tucked up in his lap.

“You’re okay. I promise.” Jason whispered. Tim shuddered, thinking that, maybe, he was right.

Or he would at least pretend Jason was right. Until next time.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Feedback is appreciated!
> 
> Also, if you see anything wrong with the way Tim's depression is approached or written, please let me know how to fix it. I would love to be able to give you all the best, most accurate description of this that I can.
> 
> Thanks!


End file.
